Building roof and method of constructing the same

ABSTRACT

A building roof includes a leak tight support layer and a sheathing layer fastened thereon. A pop rivet nut is inserted in a rivet hole of the support layer, the pop rivet nut having a rivet head, formed by a collar, on a first side of the support layer, a rivet bulge on a second side of the support layer, and an essentially pot-shaped shaft with an internal threading which is open only on the side of the rivet head of the pop rivet nut. The pop rivet nut penetrates a sealing layer, which is clampingly held between the rivet head and the rivet bulge, so that the pop rivet nut is tightly connected to the sealing layer, and the sheathing layer is fastened to the support layer by means of a bolt screwed into the internal threading of the pop rivet nut.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a building roof and a method of constructingthe same.

In the construction of a roof of a building, one is confronted with thetask to fasten a sheathing layer on a leak tight support layer such as,for example a waterproof roof cladding, without hampering the leaktightness. If the sheathing layer is formed by plates of stainlesssteel, for example, leak tightness could be achieved by welding theplates together with leak tight welding seams. This, however, may beundesirable for aesthetic reasons and, moreover, will complicate laterrepair works. Fastening the sheathing layer by means of an adhesivewould strongly affect the surface of the support layer and, moreover,will not fulfill the requirements that are imposed for example on thestability of a building roof.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a roofconstruction and a method of establishing the same, which make itpossible to achieve the leak tightness and at the same time permit astable and secure fastening of the sheathing layer.

According to the invention, this object is achieved by a building roofas indicated in claim 1 and by a method as indicated in claim 7.

In the field of machine construction, it is known to use fastening meansin the form of pop rivet nuts, which are also known as clinch nuts.These have an outer cylindrical shaft and a rivet head formed by acollar at the top end. EP 0 589 144 A1 describes an example of such apop rivet nut which is used for mounting a hinge of a trunk lid to avehicle body, and which comprises a sealing ring placed underneath therivet head.

The pop rivet nut is inserted into the rivet hole with its shaft. Then,a threaded mandrel of a riveter is screwed into an internal screwthreading of the pop rivet nut. While the nut is pressed to engage thesupport layer with its rivet head, the riveter is used for withdrawingthe threaded mandrel into the riveter. As a result, the shaft isplastically deformed to form a rivet bulge below the support layer, sothat the support layer will clampingly be held between the rivet headand the rivet bulge. Thus, the pop rivet nut is positively andfrictionally connected to the support layer. Finally, the threadedmandrel of the riveter is screwed out, and the object to be fastened isscrew-fastened at the support layer by means of a bolt that is screwedinto the internal threading of the nut.

In this way, it is possible to screw-fasten the object at the supportlayer, and it is only necessary to drill a rivet hole into the supportlayer. Moreover, the support layer needs to be accessible only from oneside.

Now, according to the invention, such a pop rivet nut is used formounting the sheathing layer on the support layer of the roof, with thepop rivet nut passing through a sealing layer that is clampingly heldbetween the rivet head and the rivet bulge. The sheathing layer isarranged in front of the end of the pop rivet nut having the rivet head,and is fastened to the support layer by means of a bolt screwed into thenut.

The hole in the sealing layer and the support layer is sealed by thetight clamping connection between the sealing layer and the pop rivetnut and by the pop rivet nut, the shaft of which is closed at one end.As a result, the pop rivet nut is leak tightly fastened to the supportlayer. Preferably, the sealing layer covers the support layer on itsentire surface.

Thus, the construction according to the invention permits to safely andstably fasten the sheathing layer on the support layer by means of abolt and at the same time to assure the leak tightness. Consequently, itis not necessary, for example, to assure the leak tightness by weldingstainless steel plates that are applied to the support layer.

The sealing layer will engage either the rivet head or the rivet bulge,depending on the side on which the sealing layer is arranged. Throughthis engaging contact between the rivet head or the rivet bulge and thesealing layer, the connection is sealed particularly well. This isparticularly the case for an elastically deformable sealing layer. Forexample, the rivet head is tightly placed on top of the sealing layerwhich is arranged on the top side of the support layer against which therivet bulge is drawn from below.

Preferably, the sealing layer is made of an elastomeric material. Thismaterial may for example be ethylene propylene terpolymer rubber (EPDM).This sealing layer may in particular be used as an elastomeric web thatis reinforced by a fabric of polyester or glass fibers.

The sealing layer is preferably arranged between the sheathing layer andthe support layer. On the sheathing layer, for example, only the head ofthe bolt will be visible from outside. Although the sheathing layer isfastened by means of a bolt to the support layer which is arranged onthe other side of the sealing layer, the device according to theinvention achieves a completely tight seal.

Preferably, the sheathing layer is supported on the sealing layer or therivet head via an intermediate member.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described below inconjunction with the drawing.

The single drawing FIGURE shows a section of a building roof having asheathing, which is fastened to a support layer by means of a pop rivetnut.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

What is shown is a pop rivet nut 10 which is provided at its top endwith a collar forming a flat rivet head 12. In the lower portion, thepop rivet nut 10 forms a cylindrical, pot-shaped shaft 14. A bottom 16of the shaft 14 forms the lower end of the pop rivet nut 10. The poprivet nut 10 is inserted into a rivet hole 18 of a metal plate thatforms a support layer 20. On the top side, the support layer 20 iscovered on it entire surface by a sealing layer 22. The pop rivet nut 10penetrates the sealing layer 22 and has been pressed so far into therivet hole 18 that the rivet head 12 is in contact with and is supportedby the sealing layer 22.

The sealing layer 22 is formed for example by an elastomeric web. Thelatter is for example made of ethylene propylene terpolymer rubber(EPDM) reinforced with a fabric of polyester or glass fibers.

On the opposite side of the support layer 20, the shaft 14 forms a rivetbulge 24 which has been created when the pop rivet nut 10 was riveted tothe support layer 20. Through this rivet joint, the support layer 20 andthe sealing layer 22 are squeezed between the rivet head 12 and therivet bulge 24, so that the sealing layer 22 will deform and will betightly connected with the rivet head 12. The pop rivet nut 10 has beenriveted In a manner known per-se by means of a threaded mandrel of ariveter, the mandrel being screwed Into an Internal threading 26 of theshaft 14 and then by withdrawing the mandrel.

According to the Invention, the pop rivet nut 10 does penetrate thesealing layer 22. However, the hole that has been created thereby In thesealing layer 22 Is sealed by the firm connection with the sealing layer22 and by the closed bottom 16 of the shaft 14.

The sealing layer 22 supports an Intermediate member 28 Ih Is covered bya sheathing layer 30 Ih forms the outer lining of a building roof, forexample. The sheathing layer 30 Is for example fastened to the pop rivetnut 10 by means of a counter sunk bolt 32, so that the support layer 20,the sealing layer 22, the Intermediate member 28 and the sheathing layer30 will form a unit. The surface of the head of the bolt Is flush withthe sheathing layer 30, so that an essentially smooth surface of thebuilding roof Is achieved.

The Intermediate member 28 may for example be formed with an Integrateddrainage system through Ih water, that may have entered between the headof the bolt 32 and the sheathing layer 30 will be drained. The tightconnection between the pop rivet nut 10 and the sealing layer 22 assuresthat no water will reach the support layer 20. An Insulating layer 34made of mineral fibers, for example, Is arranged below the support layer20.

The device described above provides an aesthetically appealing mountingstructure for fastening the sheathing layer 30 to the support layer 20,the mounting structure being leak tight, In spite of the use of a bolt.

1. A building roof comprising a leak tight support layer and a sheathinglayer fastened thereon, wherein a pop rivet nut Is Inserted In a rivethole of the support layer, the pop rivet nut having a rivet head, formedby a collar, on a first side of the support layer, a rivet bulge on asecond side of the support layer, and an essentially pot-shaped shaftwith an Internal threading Ih Is open only on the side of the rivet headof the pop rivet nut, the pop rivet nut penetrates a sealing layer, IhIs clampingly held between the rivet head and the rivet bulge, so thatthe pop rivet nut Is tightly connected to the sealing layer, and thesheathing layer Is fastened to the support layer by means of a boltscrewed Into the Internal threading of the pop rivet nut.
 2. Thebuilding roof according to claim 1, wherein the sealing layer covers thesupport layer on Its entire surface.
 3. The building roof according toclaim 1, wherein the sealing layer Is arranged between the sheathinglayer and the support layer.
 4. The building roof according to claim 3,wherein the sealing layer covers the support layer on Its entiresurface.
 5. The building roof according to claim 3, wherein thesheathing layer Is supported on the sealing layer and the rivet head viaan Intermediate member.
 6. The building roof according to claim 5,wherein the sealing layer covers the support layer on Its entiresurface.
 7. A method of constructing a building roof having a supportlayer and a sheathing layer fastened thereon, comprising the steps of:placing a sealing layer on one side of the support layer; forming arivet hole In the support layer; Inserting, Into the rivet hole andthrough the sealing layer, a pop rivet nut having a rivet head, formedby a collar, and an essentially pot-shaped shaft Ih has an Internalthreading and Is open only at the end of the pop rivet nut on the sideof the rivet head, the nut being Inserted Into the rivet hole with Itsshaft, so that the rivet head Is positioned on a first side of thesupport layer; forming a rivet bulge on a second side of the supportlayer by drawing the shaft against the rivet head, thereby to clamp thesealing layer between the rivet head and the rivet bulge and to tightlyconnect the pop rivet nut with the sealing layer; and fastening thesheathing layer to the support layer with a bolt screwed Into theInternal threading of the pop rivet nut.